Children in lockdown

Younger pupils have had no allowances made but are still supposed to reach those targets.
Exactly this. Younger children need help and guidance in their learning. Stuff has to be explained over and over. They need encouragement. As we have seen on recent threads on GN, many younger children fell through the net getting their problems recognised or diagnosed, and are now struggling.
By 15 or 16+ children are usually more than capable of studying on their own and should know what is expected.
That's not to say I think the National Curriculum KS1 and KS2 is totally fit for purpose or ideal from a teacher's perspective, it isn’t. But that's a separate issue.

My 2 daughters were both working from home. The youngest two aged 6 had three Teams lessons daily. Two in the morning and one in the afternoon, instructions to use Joe Wicks daily for exercise. I was there in the bubble sitting with them through classes, encouraging them, making sure homework was done. There were few difficulties going back to school. The school sent copies of all the daily lessons with work sheets. They were well organised.

The Academy my older grandchildren went to didn’t do so well. My oldest grandson didn’t do so well in his A levels but is currently at University. Youngest grandson grudgingly did his school work but older sister loved being off school, organised all her school work, worked hard and had a huge amount of free time which she spent going to the gym.

Lock down imo, was differently received by children, dependent on their character, parental guidance and engagement and most importantly what school asked their children to do. The interaction between the children, their school and parents underpinned the experience.

My youngest grandchildren are fortunate their parents selected that particular school. Last inspection in 2014 received an Outstanding mark. They received Outstanding last month as well.

It's the psychological impact lockdowns had on children, more the older ones rather than babies and toddlers who would have known no different than to be at home with parent(s).

The fact that children are expected to reach targets and many did not because of lockdowns is an interesting point, as allowances were only made for those taking GCSEs and A levels during thst time. Younger pupils have had no allowances made but are still supposed to reach those targets.

GrannyGravy13

Cossy our two lockdown baby GC, are meeting all their educational targets, along with all their milestone ones.

What we did notice as did their parents, was when it was possible to go out to restaurants, play centres and holidays they were either totally withdrawn and overwhelmed or the total opposite bat shit crazy

It took a good year before they could settle in social situations.

I agree on the social side and suddenly being faced with huge crowds etc that they’d never encountered,

Luckygirl3

For me all the lockdowns were essential, and too little too late.

Married to a doctor, who had long predicted this pandemic and been concerned about the lack of preparation, I have absolutely supported the lockdowns. So would he have done, but he died at the very start.

We need to be much better prepared for next time - which will assuredly come.

I am not greatly concerned about the academic progress of children, who are placed in school far too early and expected to achieve targets that do not chime with the nature of children and childhood.

They will progress a their own pace with the help of the teachers in whom I have great faith - they all work so hard. How wonderful it would be if they could get on with their jobs without the data collection and targets which hamper teaching and sap morale.

👏👏👏👏

Galaxy

But that isnt the picture elsewhere is it - attendance nationally has never picked up to the same levels pre covid and persistent absence is a very serious problem. I was a school governor too, I think the lockdowns were a mistake for children and for society in general.

I agree about absenteeism and about the rise in home schooling, which works extremely well for many children, but which also allows some to “disappear” and fall through the cracks.

For me all the lockdowns were essential, and too little too late.

Married to a doctor, who had long predicted this pandemic and been concerned about the lack of preparation, I have absolutely supported the lockdowns. So would he have done, but he died at the very start.

We need to be much better prepared for next time - which will assuredly come.

I am not greatly concerned about the academic progress of children, who are placed in school far too early and expected to achieve targets that do not chime with the nature of children and childhood.

They will progress a their own pace with the help of the teachers in whom I have great faith - they all work so hard. How wonderful it would be if they could get on with their jobs without the data collection and targets which hamper teaching and sap morale.

My DGS was born during lockdown 2, I don't think my DD had the best care from her Health care team during the her recovery of a C section but that may have been the case of it during normal times. My DGS is now 3 and very sociable, a little bit behind with some milestones but was found to have a minor blood complaint and is on medication and has come on in leaps and bounds.

Casdon

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think the first lockdown was unavoidable, because given the evidence from Italy and elsewhere at that point, there was a risk of very high numbers of deaths, including of younger people.

I totally agree. Lockdowns were not done on a whim. They saved lives.

escaped

Galaxy

But that isnt the picture elsewhere is it - attendance nationally has never picked up to the same levels pre covid and persistent absence is a very serious problem. I was a school governor too, I think the lockdowns were a mistake for children and for society in general.

I agree they were a mistake Galaxy.
I was teaching (Primary) in 2020, and it was particularly the Year 1s and Year 2s who suffered the most academically. The missed the basics in numeracy and literacy. They are coming up to secondary school age now, so it will be interesting to see how they fare and whether they can catch up.

Those in Y7 and 8 suffered too, I think.
They had started at their new senior schools, all was new and in some cases quite daunting if they went from a small village school to a huge comprehensive. New friendship groups were being made and were disrupted by lockdowns. No out-of-school clubs or activities could take place.

No matter how careful parents were to ensure schoolwork was done, children were cared for (and sadly, not all were), this caused problems for many children, particularly those who were rather shy to begin with.
Such messages as staying away from grandparents and elderly relatives in case children gave them Covid made some children anxious, as did all the solemn news conferences on television.
The increase in CAHMS referrals reflects this.

Its not about hindsight for me - I agree that in particular with regard to the first lockdown that was the right decision at the time. Its not a question of blame - it is about looking at what happened and analysing the impact compared to the risk. That information helps us with future pandemics.

Cossy our two lockdown baby GC, are meeting all their educational targets, along with all their milestone ones.

What we did notice as did their parents, was when it was possible to go out to restaurants, play centres and holidays they were either totally withdrawn and overwhelmed or the total opposite bat shit crazy

It took a good year before they could settle in social situations.

Our DGS, now 10, didn’t suffer at all, but his poor parents did, both working from home and keeping him occupied and ensuring he did his school work.

My DD did still teach as schools didn’t close completely and were open for both vulnerable children and those with “key worker” parents.

Our own DS didn’t fare so well, he spent his 18th in lockdown, having to do college work from home and was reluctant to start socialising after lockdown ended.

As for babies born during lockdown, parents are primarily responsible for lack of progress and meeting milestones, just my opinion!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think the first lockdown was unavoidable, because given the evidence from Italy and elsewhere at that point, there was a risk of very high numbers of deaths, including of younger people.

Galaxy

But that isnt the picture elsewhere is it - attendance nationally has never picked up to the same levels pre covid and persistent absence is a very serious problem. I was a school governor too, I think the lockdowns were a mistake for children and for society in general.

I agree they were a mistake Galaxy.
I was teaching (Primary) in 2020, and it was particularly the Year 1s and Year 2s who suffered the most academically. The missed the basics in numeracy and literacy. They are coming up to secondary school age now, so it will be interesting to see how they fare and whether they can catch up.

One grandson, who had been a thorn in his teachers' flesh, became a model student during lock-down, completing all his assignments on line and sending them to astonished teachers. When he got back to school, he was on good terms with all of them and did well in GCSEs and A-levels. Lock-down seems to have suited loners. His brother spent most of his time with his gaming computer, but eventually emerged well-adjusted, is now in the lower sixth and plays tennis at a local club. The other teenage GCs had no noticeable ill-effects, though my DGD missed out on ceremonial experiences as company sergeant major of her county's Army Cadets. At least for these four teenage DGCs, lock-down has had no permanent ill-effects. It might have been very different had they been ten years younger.

I do not think they were a mistake - children were superspreaders, seldom getting seriously ill themselves, but risking the lives of older and more vulnerable people - and indeed of the teachers who would have to be in school with them. The safeguarding of everyone for those children of hospital and other workers who were in school was a real logistical problem.

Galaxy

But that isnt the picture elsewhere is it - attendance nationally has never picked up to the same levels pre covid and persistent absence is a very serious problem. I was a school governor too, I think the lockdowns were a mistake for children and for society in general.

I agree Galaxy for some children their lives and attitude to education and authority have changed, and not for the better.

But that isnt the picture elsewhere is it - attendance nationally has never picked up to the same levels pre covid and persistent absence is a very serious problem. I was a school governor too, I think the lockdowns were a mistake for children and for society in general.

It was the social aspect which caused such difficulties. It's normal for teenagers to want to spend time with their friends, more so than very young children. Also the habit of getting up, dressed and off to school each day was broken and the result of that is evident in the increase in school absences.

My teenage GC were socialising endlessly on whatsapp etc., and played games with their friends on their computers, chatted on the phone etc. They were quite happy with that.

They had to log in each morning at school, so that habit of "going to school" was not broken. They might have been in their pjs under the desk - but no different from adults who work from home!

Many parents were home themselves as furloughed and were able to support their children; and laptops were supplied to children who did not have access to them.

School attendance at our village primary picked up very quickly when they were open.

I agree that the most vulnerable children got the rawest deal - sadly this is always so in whatever situation - but I do know that schools have worked very hard to redress this, as indeed they always do.

I suppose I feel that we should not always look on the black side of the scenario in which we all found ourselves. There are many children who were not adversely affected in any way and who learned many new skills during the pandemic.

I regard the school closures as having been inevitable and correct and the local school, where I was chair of governors at the time, worked tirelessly for the pupils in every possible way. Attendance is now at 98%.

The youngest aged 5 and 2½when covid struck probably found it hardest because they also moved house a long way from their friends. It was a terribly lonely time for them.
DD told me that when they played with their dolls, they would put on an imaginary mask before going out.

One is shy but her DS isn't at all.

They seem to have adjusted well now.

The one who was 10 and now 15 was affected by lack of schooling and missed out on social activities. They got a puppy which helped. Who knows whether things would have been very different. All I know is she's desperate to leave school which she will do this summer. She never reads and is on social media all the time apart from when she's playing football.

My granddaughter, who is now 12, coped very well. She is a very competent, extrovert, clever child. It was a very different story for my grandson, her brother, who was just at the stage of transferring from primary to secondary school at the time. He found working from home impossible. He then was supposed to go into the senior section of his (private) school, but really couldn’t cope with the pressurised atmosphere and he moved to a local state school, where he got on better but was still stressed and unhappy. He missed a lot of school. He’s now 16 and in his GCSE year, more confident and stable but still has days when he just cannot go to school. He has a friend (female) who will not go to school at all - not the same school as my grandson - but is happy to do her schoolwork at home.

One way and another, the pandemic really rocked the world of these ultra-sensitive children.

Mine DGC were 10 and 13 when COVID struck. The biggest downside was that the younger moved from junior to senior school that year and all the end of junior events - a field trip, a party etc, which his sister enjoyed were cancelled.

For both of them school quickly got going with teaching online. Their parents were working from home, but could work round ensuring the children kept up with their studies.

Once lockdown stopped they returned to their school, friends and usual social life. Now, coming up to their 15th and 18th birthdays, COVID seems to have had little effect on them.

However, with puberty, DGC has been diagnosed with disautonomia, and that is messing his life up far more than COVID ever did.

PS from my DD’s work with school children, I agree with Galaxy’s observation about vulnerable children. They are the ones who’ve probably paid the highest price. My dd spent a lot of time trying to mitigate the effects on them, even just basics like ensuring those entitled to FSM still received some sort of nutritional support.

I don’t think any of my GC have suffered long term damage from lockdown. My second GS benefited, really. He is an August baby and the youngest in his year. The time off meant he was able to mature away from the pressures of school and by the time he went back properly, he’d blossomed.

My then-youngest GC was just gone two at the time of lockdown and she craved human contact. By the time lockdown ended she knew the name of everyone in their village, where they lived, their dogs, whether they were grandparents or not and so on. Oddly enough, she doesn’t remember a thing about the pandemic, not even the word Covid, yet she remembers things from before Covid!

The youngest GS was born in 2021 and has no developmental problems at all. His speech is fluent and he’s socially mature with no behavioural issues.

All the parents worked FT, they just had to muddle through as best they could, like everyone else.